A Former Florida Resident Shares The Prettiest, Must-Visit Islands For Your Sunshine State Trip

Island living and Florida meld together in a magnificent manner. Palm-lined stretches of powdery beaches, quirky streets filled with colorful cottages, and laid-back attitudes all prevail across the Sunshine State — especially amid its many destinations that await off the mainland. Any Florida vacation will be enhanced by exploring the area's gorgeous isles.

These varied settings can easily defy expectations. Sure, Florida's islands host rows of open-air bars where swimsuit-clad patrons listen to live renditions of Jimmy Buffett tunes while watching sport-fishing boats zoom off toward the blue horizon. However, some are home to protected zones of ruggedly pristine terrain where visitors find rich wildlife and blessedly unpopulated shorelines.

This collection of Florida's prettiest islands is based on the glowing feedback of numerous vacationers who have experienced them firsthand. Additionally, cherished personal memories played a big role in compiling this list; I've lived on Anastasia Island and got married on Key Biscayne, and over the years my travels have spanned several other water-ringed hotspots featured here. Come discover the myriad attractions of Florida's loveliest islands.

Continuously inhabited since Spanish colonists arrived in 1565, St. Augustine is America's most historic non-Native settlement. A visit to this venerable town is well worthwhile, as time-transcending attractions like a coquina cathedral and the waterfront ramparts of the Castillo de San Marcos line its slender lanes. But when visiting St. Augustine, make a point of crossing the century-old Bridge of Lions to discover a sprawling wonderland of leisure and nature: Anastasia Island.

Some sights of Anastasia Island are iconic scenes of St. Augustine tourism, such as the spiral-painted lighthouse and the Alligator Farm. However, the island's miles of broad beaches serve as the primary draw for innumerable visitors seeking sun-soaked days of oceanfront fun. A long stretch of the coastline belongs to the protected territory of Anastasia State Park, where wildlife and open space abounds. Visitors can hike the Ancient Dunes Nature Trail to admire windswept coastal flora and feathered locals like herons, wood storks, and bald eagles. The isle has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with one vacationer noting on Tripadvisor, "We would love to visit Anastasia Island State Park again because it was such a beautiful and relaxing place."

Leave city life behind for an island getaway with just a quick drive from downtown Miami across the Rickenbacker Causeway. This journey takes you to Key Biscayne, the site of a former coconut plantation that now hosts a subtropical village sandwiched between two sprawling parks of wide-open oceanfront splendor. The palm-shaded community offers deluxe accommodations and upscale restaurants, but Key Biscayne's most priceless attractions are its expanses of beaches and green space.

The north end of Key Biscayne is blessed with Crandon Park, featuring a 2-mile stretch of sandy Atlantic shoreline and varied nature trails. Sporty vacationers are spoiled for choice with a nearby 18-hole golf course, dozens of tennis courts, and ample opportunities for kayaking and snorkeling. Key Biscayne's southern section is dominated by the protected wildlife of Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, where anyone willing to climb 109 steps will discover the Cape Florida Lighthouse's unmatched Miami Beach coastal views. The reviews for Key Biscayne are pretty much perfect on Yelp, where one visitor reported, "State Park is naturally beautiful with vistas that will soothe you," while another commented that "the whole key was amazing and I'd love to stay out there next time."

Situated along a Gulf Shore stretch not far from Tallahassee known as Florida's Forgotten Coast, St. George Island isn't the most glamorous vacation spot in the Sunshine State (a reality the residents seem quite content with). Preferred activities include leisurely pedaling along miles of bike paths and bird-watching within St. George Island State Park, which features diverse terrain of salt marshes, forests, and sand dunes. That latter attraction also draws a special group of longtime summer visitors: loggerhead sea turtles, who lay their eggs along the island's lengthy beaches.

Quite a few shoreside restaurants serve fresh seafood, along with barbecue specialties and hearty breakfasts. St. George Island further entices vacationers with an array of lovely rental homes that offer fully equipped kitchens and balconies for panoramic waterfront dining. As an added bonus for dog owners, furry friends are welcome at this destination's plethora of pet-friendly accommodations and attractions. Effusive reviews on Expedia highlight this barrier island's "beautiful, white, sandy beaches," while recommending St. George as a "great place if you are looking for a relaxing and peaceful vacation."

Florida's Overseas Highway is truly a marvel of 20th-century engineering. Built on the foundations of a largely overwater railroad line stretching more than 150 miles from Miami to Key West, this panoramic route connects all the major islands of the Florida Keys. Many isles of this anything-goes archipelago are thoroughly developed with resorts and open-air watering holes, but Bahia Honda Key remains a preserve of predominantly undeveloped terrain ringed by Caribbean-blue waters, and it's home to a historic remnant of the original elevated railway.

That storied segment of railroad bridge now serves as a scenic vista point overlooking all of Bahia Honda State Park. Beyond hiking on this compact island's nature trail, you can also rent a kayak to explore the weather-beaten bridge up close, or join a snorkeling voyage to admire the coral formations of the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary. This is a popular hotspot for camping in tents and RVs, as Bahia Honda Key has some of the best secret beaches in the Florida Keys. "The beaches are really nice. Very clean," gushed one of many happy campers who submitted reviews on Tripadvisor before going on to describe spotting "iguanas and lizards, spiny lobsters, all kinds of fish. It's a paradise!"

At the northernmost point of Florida's Atlantic shoreline, many vacationers zip past Amelia Island while driving southbound on I-95 toward Disney World. But it's actually well worth pulling off the highway right after crossing the state border from Georgia, as this historic isle is a real magic kingdom of genuinely astounding attractions. Beyond its 13 miles of relatively uncrowded beaches, Amelia Island is where you'll find Florida's welcoming under-the-radar city of Fernandina Beach. Well-preserved wooden houses and red-brick shop buildings date back to the Victorian era, creating a remarkable architectural atmosphere with more legit charms than anything Disney's Main Street, U.S.A. has to offer.

Another authentic wonder of Amelia Island is Fort Clinch State Park, featuring an impressive beachfront bastion that housed active military forces during the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World War II. Further to the south, Amelia Island State Park is a pristine wildlife refuge of coastal forests and salt marshes, while its beaches are ideal for finding seashells. One commenter on Tripadvisor had this to say about Amelia Island: "What a fun place to vacation. Great beach, wonderful restaurants, beautiful downtown, and great places to stay. This is our top destination in Florida!"

Let's get this out of the way — if you want to spend days on end swimming in Florida's Gulf Shore waters, stay away from Cedar Key. You'll find plenty of negative reviews about the sole public beach there. However, if you seek to leave the bustling world behind for a long weekend of drifting around an isolated isle renowned for slow-paced living, fresh seafood, and quirky flair, Cedar Key might just be the spot.

This fishing village has a tranquil vibe augmented by its art galleries, waterfront restaurants, and offbeat gift shops. What's more, this is the jumping-off point for kayaking journeys into the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, encompassing 13 islands rich with wildlife and history — Native Americans first traversed this archipelago when fishing thousands of years ago. Back in town, the fun-loving spirit of Cedar Key is evident through live-music events and the Pirate Invasion festivities held in autumn. Visitors who have posted about Cedar Key on Yelp praised its old-school vibe, with one saying, "Time feels like it stands still while you're here."

Cape Coral is an unsung Florida city with scenic canals and beaches. Nonetheless, anyone seeking a setting of less-developed Gulf Shore beauty should head offshore from Cape Coral to discover Gasparilla Island. As a longtime hideaway for the well-to-do, with its tiny village of Boca Grande long attracting the rich and famous, this barrier island is something of a secret destination featuring blue-water beaches where sunbathers can spot dolphins frolicking just offshore.

Thankfully, a fat bank account is not required to enjoy the priceless attractions of Gasparilla Island State Park, accessible with just a nominal entry fee. Along with more beaches, visitors will find the meticulously restored Port Boca Grande Lighthouse, which is now a museum featuring displays of local history and fossils from long ago. Almost every Yelp review of this sandy sanctuary is overwhelmingly positive, with one commenter claiming "we've been to many beaches up and down both coasts of Florida, and this beach probably tops the list for the clearest and the bluest water. The beach was spotless and the sand is white."

St. Vincent is another barrier island along Florida's Forgotten Coast, but it makes the slow-paced scene of neighboring St. George Island seem like a hectic metropolis. Nobody lives there now, but once upon a time, St. Vincent was a private playground for the wealthy, complete with imported zebras and peacocks. This changed in 1968, when the entire isle was established as a nature preserve. Today this property comprises most of the St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge, a protected area enveloping almost 12,500 acres of Gulf Shore wilderness.

Everyone is welcome to visit St. Vincent Island, but it takes some serious preparation to get there. The only way to reach its shore is by arranging boat travel independently, and the island has no visitor center or drinking water. What St. Vincent does offer is a ruggedly alluring setting of animals galore, acting as a way station for migratory birds, an egg-laying spot for sea turtles, and the year-round home of white-tailed deer and endangered red wolves. Florida's coast features few sites as undeveloped and untamed as this, a characteristic frequently praised by past visitors on Tripadvisor. "This is a wonderful place to see the beauty of the outdoors," said one reviewer.

Sadly, this Gulf Coast barrier island took a beating from Hurricane Milton in 2024 — and at that point, Sanibel Island's community was still recovering from the even worse devastation wrought there by Hurricane Ian in 2022. Yet the locals of Sanibel and neighboring Captiva continually strive to rebuild lost infrastructure and welcome visitors. Despite any lingering storm damage, this is still an amazing place to enjoy lush expanses of coastal greenery and discover over 250 types of seashells scattered thickly across white-sand beaches.

Both Sanibel and Captiva offer restaurants ranging from elegant waterfront eateries to relaxed seafood shacks, and accommodations with stunning views over the surrounding cerulean waters. Cyclists can explore the islands' 25-mile-long bike path, while plenty of chic shops provide selections of swimwear, sandals, and shell-inspired jewelry. Past vacationers consistently compliment Sanibel's shorelines online, with one post-hurricane visitor saying the following about the island's Lighthouse Beach Park on Yelp: "The tranquility of this place immediately calms you and you just enjoy its overwhelming beauty."

Found just outside of Tampa but a world away from city living, Anclote Key is part of a protected archipelago where only a single human (a state park ranger) permanently resides. However, many majestic birds live there, including egrets, herons, and bald eagles. The Anclote Key Preserve State Park is free to visit, but you'll have to take a ferry to enjoy a day trip — or anyone with the means to provision a private boat and venture out to this undeveloped barrier isle independently can camp under the Gulf Shore starlight.

This parkland encompasses nearly 12,000 acres of pristine coastal splendor punctuated by appealingly gnarled driftwood, enchanting visitors with picturesque desert-island settings for swimming, picnicking, and bird-watching. Anglers can cast for the sheepshead and redfish that frequently hang out offshore, and even use grills provided on the island to cook their catch. Visitors must bring their own water (and anything else that they may want to consume), as there are no stores or facilities to be found on Anclote Key. Such splendid isolation seems to be precisely what many travelers seek, according to enthusiastic reviews on Tripadvisor. "We arrived with our own boat and took the dinghy to shore. Beautiful beaches, lots of shells," wrote one satisfied adventurer.

A little something for everyone can be found amid the shoreside communities of Anna Maria Island, a hidden-gem Florida vacation spot full of food, shops, and beaches. A trio of small cities — Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, and the eponymous Anna Maria — offer numerous attractions and amazing Gulf Shore vistas. Unhurried visitors may enjoy strolling on this island's pure-white sands while searching for seashells and fossilized shark teeth, while those yearning for a more active day out on the turquoise waters can join a snorkeling excursion or charter a fishing boat.

Back on the island, a variety of restaurants serve seafood specialties prepared with hints of Caribbean flavor. Anna Maria Island's charms extend to its breezy resort buildings, none of which are allowed to be more than three stories tall thanks to local laws meant to protect unobstructed panoramas. Vacationers chronicle their time amid this serene scene with glowing reviews on Yelp, with one recalling Anna Maria Island as an ideal place to admire "magical sunsets," while another waxed lyrical about its "powdered sugar sand."

Okay, you have to be in the right state of mind to consider Key West among Florida's prettiest islands, and that state may best be achieved with a steady flow of tropical cocktails. Fortunately, there's no shortage of bars at the end of the line for the Overseas Highway. Once you absorb the carefree spirit of the unpredictable isle also known as the Conch Republic, you'll find that this southernmost point of the continental U.S. has more in common with the Caribbean than anyplace else in America. These similarities include colorful cottages, funky art galleries, and unique seafood spots.

Key West is obviously not an undiscovered paradise. Locals continually battle to keep cruise ships at bay, as they can cause damage to the island's natural beauty (one of the main reasons visitors head there in the first place). Indeed, the famously welcoming community around Duval Street is frequently over-touristed during the high season spanning December to April. But in many ways, this one-of-a-kind destination encapsulates all the surreal appeal of Florida on a single smallish isle — and Key West is also the gateway to even more remote ports of call, like the gorgeous and uncrowded Snipe Keys island grouping. Key West has earned numerous 5-star reviews on Yelp, with one former visitor summing it up like so: "What a tropical paradise!"

Every vacationer has a different vision of what makes a place pretty. When compiling this list, I attempted to feature diverse Floridian islands with a wide variety of settings and attractions, considering places that ranged from buzzing party towns to entirely uninhabited wilderness zones. To confirm that many Florida visitors enjoy these disparate isles for numerous reasons, the research process included checking multiple online reviews posted on reputable platforms. Meanwhile, while in-depth destination guides provided valuable background details. Additionally, as a former Florida resident lucky enough to occasionally visit many of these islands myself, personal memories played a significant role in determining this roundup of resplendent Sunshine State isles.